Methods

Method 1

PSYCHOLOGY is termed as the scientific study of behavior. For studying the behavior it takes the help of various methods. The most common methods employed for this purpose are Observational method, Experimental method, Clinical case study method and Interview method.

Observation Method:

It consists of perception of an individual’s behavior under natural conditions. By this method we can infer the mental process of other persons through the observation of their external behavior. The observation method occupies a leading role in the study of human behavior. It is economical, natural as well as flexible. A clinical psychologist may be able to collect the required data about abnormal behavior of an individual by observing him in day-to-day life under natural conditions.

Experimental Method:

This is the most scientific and objective method of studying behavior. It lays emphasis on performing experiments. The word experiment comes from a Latin word meaning ‘to try’, ‘put to the test’. Therefore, in experimentation we try or put to the test the material or phenomenon, the characteristics or consequences of which we wish to ascertain. In sciences, while doing such experiments an indoor or outdoor laboratory in natural environment, we may be interested to learn the effect of friction on motion, the effect of sunlight on the growth or the plants, etc. In psychology also, we perform such experiments in our psychological laboratory or outside laboratory in the physical or social settings to study the cause and effect relationship regarding the nature of human behavior, i.e. the effect of anxiety, drugs or stresses on the human behavior, effect of intelligence or the participation in co-curricular activities on the academic performance of the students. In performing all such experiments we try to establish certain cause and effect relationship through the objective observations of the actions performed and the subsequent changes produced under prearranged or rigidly controlled conditions. From these observations certain conclusions are drawn and theories or principles are performed.

The essential features of the experimental method:

• Psychological experiments performed in this method essentially require two persons, the experimenter and the subject or the person whose behavior is observed.
• Psychological experiments are always. Conducted on living organisms in contrast to experiments in physical sciences which are generally conducted on inorganic or dead subjects.
• The Key factor in this method is the controlling of the conditions or variables. By this method is the controlling of the conditions or variables. By this control we can eliminate irrelevant conditions or variables and isolate relevant ones. In this way we become able to observe the casual relationship between two phenomena keeping all other conditions almost constant.

Limitations of Experimental Method:

• Experimental method advocates the study of behavior under completely controlled rigid conditions. These conditions demand the creation of artificial situations or environment and the behavior studied under these conditions may be or is usually different from spontaneous of natural behavior. Therefore, experimental method fails to study the behavior in naturalistic conditions as otherwise may be studied through naturalistic observation.
• The second limitation or difficulty lies in exercising actual control or handling of the independent variable and the intervening variables. It is quite difficult to know and control all of the intervening variables. Similarly we cannot, always control the independent variable. Therefore, it is not always possible to create conditions in the laboratory as we would like to an consequently in the absence of the desired controlled conditions, the success of this method becomes quite unpredictable.
• In the experimental method we often make use of the animals or birds as subjects for the experimentation. It is also debatable whether experimental results obtained from such sources are applicable to human beings or not.
• The experimental method has a limited scope. All problems of psychology cannot be studied by this method as we cannot perform experiments for all the problems that may be raised in the heterogeneous subject matter of psychology.
• The dynamic nature of human behavior, does not always allow the independent variable. Human behavior is not like a machine-like behavior. The anger or fear producing stimuli or variables may or may not yield the required responses as desired under experiment and hence it is not possible to get the uniform responses or changes in the dependent variables on account of the concomitant changes in the independent variable.
• The experimental method is a costly and time-consuming method. Moreover handling of this method demands specialized knowledge and skill. In the absence of such expertise this method is not function-able.

Clinical Case Study Method

Clinical Psychology is the art and technology of dealing with the adjustment problems of the individual. Analysis of this definition may help us to observe some of the characteristics regarding nature and working of the clinical method:

• Clinical method is applicable to an individual case.
• The individual has some problems.
• Both methods of diagnosis and treatment are employed in dealing with these problems.
• Clinical approach is an art s well as a science and technology which means that everybody cannot treat every patient and it derives pleasure in making mankind healthier and better.

Thus, the basic elements in this method of psychological investigation are the diagnosis and treatment of the problem or mental illness of an individual.

Method of Diagnosis:

Diagnosis in a clinical method calls for a symptomatic picture of the total situation for finding out the root cause of illness or behavioral problem. For such diagnosis one has to look for the past events or experiences of the individuals, their impact and reactions, the present environment and adjustment problems and the total personality make-up, etc. For ascertaining all these aspects the following techniques are generally employed:

• Adequate physical check up: The individual suffering from some behavioral problem must be made to go through adequate physical check-up for ascertaining whether the behavior exhibited is of a functional or an organic basis. In case there are no physical somatic causes for the underlying behavior, then and then only should it be made a subject for the diagnosis of psychological treatment.
• Making out the case History: For finding out the clues or digging out the events from the earlier experiences of the individual responsible for the present behavior, the psychologist, then, tries to make use of the case history technique.
• In this technique information is collected from the memory of the individual, his parents, members of his family, relatives, guardians, neighbors, friends, teachers, doctors and from all other available records and reports concerning the individual’s past. For collecting the relevant information the following heads may be used:
• Identifying data: This comprises the name of the individual, father’s name, residential address, date of birth, caste/religion, nature of exceptional or abnormal behavior, etc.
• Environmental background: Information about the members of the family, parents, their mutual relationships and behavior with the individual under study, educational and socio-economic status of the family, the accidents and incidents that have occurred in the family, types of neighbors, friends and socio-cultural environment types of school education and school or job situation environment etc.
• Developmental history: History of the growth and developmental process of the individual in relation to the treatment, behavior and environmental facilities available from birth onwards, history of his mental and physical health, educational and occupational history, social and emotional adjustment history, sex-life history etc.
• History of his exceptional /abnormal behavior: All the relevant information regarding the subsequent development of the behavior in question up to the present stage.
• The clinical interview: Additional but very important information may be collected by the investigator by arranging clinical interviews with individuals. For this purpose he may carefully plan appropriate questions and persuade the individual to give free and frank answers by establishing necessary rapport. For understanding the inner working of the mind of the individual, he may be given the opportunity to talk about himself in this interview session. From these responses, the investigator may then draw his own conclusions for the diagnosis of the root cause of the behavior.
• Direct observation of the behavior: Direct observation of the behavior of the individual by the investigator in the real natural set-up, living and working conditions may serve quite useful purpose for getting to know the nature and causes of the behavior. In the case of children, directly observing them at play may serve the useful purpose of learning all about the child, his behavior and problems.
• Using tests and measuring devices: Help may also be taken from certain testing and measuring devices to ascertain the interests, abilities, attitudes, aptitudes and total personality make-up of the individual and thus gather the relevant information for understanding the individual and his behavior.

Method and Treatment.

Diagnosis is to be followed by treatment in order to serve the welfare of the individual. In case of the behavioral problem treatment, efforts are to be made to bring about a change in the behavior of the individual in order to get him adjusted to his environment and thus ultimately restore him to his normal mental health. Usually it can be accomplished in two ways:

• Modifying the environmental forces.
• Modifying the client’s attitude.

The physical and socio-cultural environment surrounding the individual needs to be modified in such a way that the individual may not be subjected to further disharmony and maladjustment. Rather he should be able to get a pleasant and encouraging environment characterized by wholesome and harmonious relationships with other social beings and he/she should be given enough opportunity to enable him fulfill his basic needs.

For this purpose the following measures may be adopted.

• The client may be physically removed from one situation and placed in another like boarding houses, foster homes or with guardians and adopted parents.
• The attitude of parents, teachers and others toward the client may be changed.
• More adequate recreational facilities, living conditions, work placement and working conditions may be provided or some suitable measures for the sublimation and catharsis of repressed desires and wishes may be taken.

For bringing a change in the behavior a complete modification of the client’s philosophy of life is required. He must be made to harmonize his thinking, feeling and doing. For this purpose a number of measures like..

• Guidance and counseling.
• Psychoanalysis.
• Techniques like auto-suggestion, hypnosis, psychodrama and role playing.
• Therapies like psychotherapy, group therapy, play therapy, occupation therapy, attitude therapy, etc.

Interview Method

Interview method provides an opportunity for getting information directly from the subject about his behavior in face-to-face contact or relationship. Here the subject and the psychologist both engage themselves in the mutual exchange of ideas and information. For this purpose, the psychologist makes attempt to fix a face-to-face appointment with the person or persons whose behavior he wants to investigate. The major steps in this method can be listed as under.

Preparation for the Interview

For successful conducting of the interview, the pre-preparation is needed:

• The psychologist must make himself definite in terms of the personality traits or behavior that is to be investigated and then plan accordingly what is to be asked and observed. Usually a list of questions, to be put, is prepared for this purpose and the psychologist tries to seek answer to these pre-planned questions.

Besides this he must also plan about the specific behavior patterns that need to be observed during the face-to-face contact.

• Physical conditions in which the interview is to be held should be properly checked so that the individual as well as the psychologist should not feel uncomfortable. There should not be any kind of disturbance, noise, hurry or any intervening variable causing any obstruction in the proper conducting of interview.
• The interviewer at the time of interview must feel as natural and spontaneous as possible. He must be free from any fatigue and pressure, etc. The psychologist must try to establish a proper rapport ( a deep inter-personal relationship) by taking the individual into confidence and asking very friendly questions.
• Proper arrangement for recording the responses of the interviewer should be made.

Taking an Interview

The essential points should be kept

• The interviewer should not dominate or monopolise the conversation during the interview. He should not adopt critical attitude or put words unnecessarily into the mouth of the individual. Rather he should be a patient listener and should never feel disappointed, irritated or surprised by what the individual says.
• The interviewer should not pass any judgment during the course of interview. He must encourage the individual to express himself fully as he can.
• By all means, the interviewer should demonstrate warm feelings for the individual (to be interviewed) in his heart. He should try to accept him with all his weaknesses, mistakes and problems. He
• should not betray his confidence and never disclose to others what he has revealed during the interview.
• The responses and reactions of the individual should properly be accepted and adequately recorded by the interviewer.

Closure of the Interview

At this stage these things should be kept in mind:

• The individual should feel that he has expressed himself as fully as he could.
• The psychologist should see that the aims and objectives of holding an interview are realized at the most as decided before holding the interview.
• The information collected for the investigation of behavior should be as complete as possible.
• The individual should feel happy and satisfied for coming again to the interviewer if need so.
• The information collected or responses recorded should be properly evaluated.

Assessment of Interview as a Method of Investigating Behavior .

Limitations and drawbacks:

The interview method suffers from the limitations and drawbacks:

• The interview is often held in artificial situation. Therefore, the behavior as investigated may not be typical or representative of his usual behavior.
• It suffers from the subjective bias of the interviewer.
• There is no safeguard to stop the individual to hide his feelings or to respond in terms of selective answers.
• It needs a well trained competent interviewer.
• It is costly in terms of the labor, time and money.

Merits and Advantages:

The interview method is said to enjoy following advantages and merits:

• It provides face-to-face contact or relationship between the interviewer and the individual.
• Cent per cent answers of the Questions, put to the individual, are obtained through interview.
• By establishing proper rapport, there is very little danger of not getting answer to the questions and moreover we can get most confidential information from the individual which otherwise, they may hesitate to reveal.
• Interview is relatively a more flexible tool. It permits explanation, adjustment and variations according to the situation and thus proves one of the essential and important tools for the investigation of behavior.